I. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to wireless communications and more specifically to defining and utilizing control channels.
II. Background
Wireless communication systems are widely deployed to provide various types of communication content such as, for example, voice, data, and so on. Typical wireless communication systems may be multiple-access systems capable of supporting communication with multiple users by sharing available system resources (e.g., bandwidth, transmit power, . . . ). Examples of such multiple-access systems may include code division multiple access (CDMA) systems, time division multiple access (TDMA) systems, frequency division multiple access (FDMA) systems, orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) systems, and the like. Additionally, the systems can conform to specifications such as third generation partnership project (3GPP), 3GPP long term evolution (LTE), ultra mobile broadband (UMB), etc.
Generally, wireless multiple-access communication systems may simultaneously support communication for multiple mobile devices. Each mobile device may communicate with one or more base stations via transmissions on forward and reverse links. The forward link (or downlink) refers to the communication link from base stations to mobile devices, and the reverse link (or uplink) refers to the communication link from mobile devices to base stations. Further, communications between mobile devices and base stations may be established via single-input single-output (SISO) systems, multiple-input single-output (MISO) systems, multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems, and so forth. In addition, mobile devices can communicate with other mobile devices (and/or base stations with other base stations) in peer-to-peer wireless network configurations.
In addition, the base stations and mobile devices can exchange control data relating to communication quality over uplink and/or downlink resources (e.g., channel quality, signal-to-noise ratio, acknowledgement indicators, etc.). For example, the uplink and/or downlink can be partitioned into portions of frequency over given time periods, such as a number of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols. One or more portions of frequency in a given period of time, such as a frame or sub-frame, can be reserved for control data communications. Also, one or more disparate portions of frequency in the given frame/sub-frame can be reserved for transmitting reference signals or other signals. Remaining portions of frequency in the frame/sub-frame can be allocated for data communication. Related frame/sub-frame formatting can be known by base stations and mobile devices such that the mobile devices can expect to receive control data from the base stations over the portions reserved for control data and can expect the base station to assign part of the remaining portions for general uplink data communication. Additionally, since a number of base stations and devices utilize the same portions of frequency over the same portions of time for transmitting control data, reference signals, etc., these portions can exhibit high interference from the various base station and device transmissions.